Children are going to miss out, say early educators
Schools are likely to be inundated with special needs students who have missed out on early support because of the extended pay freeze for public servants, according to a negotiator for the NZEI Te Riu Roa field staff collective agreement.
Louise Hoggart says the Government’s announcement of three more years of pay restraint for some public servants will probably lead to a high turnover of teachers who cannot afford to wait that long for a rise.
‘‘What that’s going to mean is higher case loads and much longer wait lists, and at the end of the day children are going to miss out,’’ says Hoggart, an early intervention teacher.
‘‘They’re going to miss out on service, they’re going to sit on a wait list and not get the help they need before they go to school.’’
Hoggart, from Christchurch, is extremely disappointed by the freeze. ‘‘We work in an environment that’s fairly high-stress.’’
Learning support field staff worked all the way through Covid and had to adapt their practices during the pandemic to a more video conference-based approach. ‘‘Not only are we busy with heavy workloads and long wait lists, we also have to be very adaptable and flexible.
‘‘It just creates this sense of disappointment and maybe even a little resentment to know there’s going to be such a long wait time before we might be remunerated for the work that we do.’’
Reaction has been consistent from more than 1000 learning support staff across the country, she says. ‘‘I’ve certainly had many members and even non-union members approach me over the last day around what this means, and their worries and concerns about the longevity of the pay restraint.’’
Education union NZEI Te Riu Roa estimates more than 20,000 primary teachers along with ‘‘thousands of principals and other educators’’ will be affected.
NZEI Te Riu Roa president Liam Rutherford says the decision is unfair on those who have gone the extra mile to support tamariki and communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘‘To be thanked like this, with an announcement that they shouldn’t expect even standard pay progression in their upcoming negotiations, is truly shocking.’’
Since Wednesday morning, members have been flooding the phone lines wanting clarification on how the decision will affect them, he says. ‘‘They’re disheartened and dispirited.
‘‘As New Zealand recovers from Covid-19, it’s unacceptable for us to leave any of our public servants, who have cared for us and supported us throughout the pandemic, behind.’’
Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua general secretary Michael Stevenson says the freeze will affect about 18,000 of its members.
Association president Melanie Webber says she is worried about the impact it could have on teacher shortages.
Once the borders reopen, teachers will leave the country again, leading to a lack of experienced teachers in school, she fears.
‘‘To be thanked like this ... is truly shocking.’’ NZEI Te Riu Roa president Liam Rutherford